Tories Waive Process in Favour of Grabbing Headlines!

5.00.03pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Jun 2009

The new Conservative administration at County Hall, waived all due process this morning and claimed they were doubling the Community Budget from 1st July, 2009. Not only do they do not have the right to do so without taking a decision properly but they showed their ignorance of the current budget.

The budget as publicised, scrutinised and finally agreed at Full Council earlier this year, currently shows the Community Budget standing at £15,000, yet the Tories claim that doubling this would give £10,000. So much for their financial expertise!

Jill Shortland, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group said of the announcement:

"Apparently, the Tories plan to take the decision through the proper channels at a meeting arranged for tomorrow. It's an extremely worrying state of affairs for the county, if they start making 'ad hoc' decisions and then rubber stamp them retrospectively. It's even more worrying if they're going to double-count savings that have already been made in order to meet their manifesto promises."

Ends